Six Appalachian coalbed methane (CBM) projects are reviewed and evaluated in terms of reservoir engineering techniques and CBM recoverability. These include three non-mine-related projects in the northern Appalachian basin, one non-mine-related, and two mine-related projects in the central Appalachian basin of southwestern Virginia. Generally, low production rates and low CBM reserves are characteristic of the central and northern Appalachian basin; therefore, minimizing production costs is fundamental to the economic success of a CBM project in these regions. Well deliverability is determined through permeability testing and through production data analysis using a reservoir simulator to history match historic production data. All of the non-mine-related projects utilize vertical wells with well spacings of 60 to 100 acre (0.23-0.40 km(2)) that produce from multiple coalbeds at depths as much as 762 m. The targets are coalbeds of the Pocahontas and New River Formations and correlative Lee Formation. In the Nora Field of Virginia (Equitable Resources, developer), well spacing is 60 acre (0.23 m(2)), and recoverability is high (30-60% of initial gas in place). Well stimulation is by foam or water as the fracture medium. The average gas in place is 675 MMscf well(-1), and the expected lifetime of the wells is 30 years. Cost of water disposal is a major economic factor in CBM development in the Appalachian basin. Water disposal is accomplished by using water disposal holes (injection wells) rather than surface water discharged, which is generally not permitted. Water disposal in the central Appalachian basin involves relatively low volumes of water (30 STB day(-1), declining to 1 to 2 STB day(-1)). In the northern Appalachian basin in Indiana County, PA (Belden and Blake, developer), vertical CBM holes penetrate six to eight Allegheny Formation coalbeds. Water and a sand proppant are used for stimulation. Production levels are low (< 100 Mcf day(-1) well(-1)). The life of a vertical CBM hole drilled in advance of mining is 3 to 5 years. This type of hole may be converted to a gob hole after mining is completed. Gob gas is recovered mainly from coalbeds above the mined coalbed and has high recoverability of as much as 10 MMscf day(-1) well(-1). Horizontal CBM holes produce almost pure methane and typically have 1 year of production.